Louie e



L. E. DAVENPORT. ILLUMINATING TILE.

(No Model.)

'Paftented'Apr. 12,1392;

' hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

such as is used in'illuminating-tiles for vaults,

' (luce some kindiof water-proof packing-such UNITED STATES LOUIE E. DAVENPORT,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

lLLUM-lNATlNG-TILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,699, dated April 12, 1892. I

Application filed February 6, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LOUIE E. DAVENPORT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful .Improvements .in Illuminating-Tiles, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved illuminating-lens for tiles,vanlt-covers, arealights, skylights, and other applications, said lens being tightly incased, so that the glass body'is protected against chipping by wear and prevented from being dropped even when broken into pieces byconcnssions, blows, &c.-; and the invention consists of an illuminatinglens for tiles, &c., the glass body of which is inclosed by a sheet-metal thimble, the upper and lower ends of which are spun over the lens, so as to form protecting and retaining flanges for the same, as will be fully described In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top view of a portion of an illuminating-tile with my improved lenses. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 00 a: of Fig. 1, drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a top view of another construction of tile; and Fig. 4 is a vertical trans-- verse section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, also. on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. Referring to the;drawings, A represents a honeycombed frame having bottom openings,

areas, skylights for basements, &c.

In the cells or compartments of the frame A are arranged ,lensesB, which are made of glass in the usual manner and incased by a sheet-metal thimble O, which is spun at its upper and lower sendsover the body of the lens, so'as'to form an inwardly-projectingprotecting=flange a and an inwardly-projectingretaining-fiange for the lens. The thimble U can be made of sheet-brass, sheet-aluminium, sheet-steel, or other suitable metal, the flanges a'an'd b overlapping tightly. the upper and loweredges of the lens. so as-to form a water tight connection ofthethimble with the same. In some cases it maybe advisable to intro.

can enter.-

Serial No..420,522. (No model.)

as a thin layerof rubber, felt, &c.between the lens and its thimble; but in most cases, especially when the lens is molded into slightly-tapering shape, the sheet-metal casing can be applied slifliciently tight to prevent leakage. "lhe spaces between the incased lens B and thelioneycombed frame A are filled with the cement D, which is made level with the edges-of the projecting flanges of the thimbles, the cement locking the bars 'firmly in .position in the tile, owing to the outward taper of the same. hen the lens is'used for solid cast-metal 'tiles provided with openings, the lenses aresecuredinto the same by any well-known cement, such as is obtained by mixing tar with sulphur, asQshbwn in Fig. 4.

The advantages of my improved illuminat: ing-lens for tiles are, first, that the inwardly protecting flange a at the upper part of the casing protects the top of the lens against abrasion and chipping ofii .at the circumference, which imparts to the lens an unsightly appearance. In case the lens is split or-cracked by sudden blows or concussions the pieces are prevented from being dropped by the retaining bottom flange b of the thimble, as the thimble fits sufliciently tight-to the'leus to permit the detaching of the pieces. The lens is thereby retained in position and in'condition for usewithout requiring the replacing of a new lens or without forming objectionable openings in the tile through which water broken pieces of the lens bythe casing also prevents leakage, notwithstandin g the'cracks,

so that the objects of-the len'snamely, illumin'ationand protection against leakage-are more completely-obtained than by the tile constructionheretofore in use.

Another. advantage of my improved lens is that the cement by which the lens is held in position will adhere more intimately to the sheet-metal thimble than to theglass surface,

which is especially the case when a sulphur and tar cement is used, as in this case the affinity betweenthe cement and the metallic thimble produces a b'ettersupport and retention of the lens- Having thus described my invention, '1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I The firm holdingof even the of a glass body and a sheet-metal thimble that istightly applied to the body of the lens and provided with an inwardly-bent protect} 5 ing top'fiangeand an inwardly-bent retaining bottom flange'for the lens, substantially as set forth 2. The combination, with a supporting tileframe having bottomopenings, of illuminat- 1o ing-lenses provided wit-h'tightly-fitting sheet-.

metal thimbles having overlapping top and bottomflanges, and cement fillings between the frame and incased lenses, substantially as set forth. h

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1 5 my invention Ihave signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses;

LOUIE E. DAVENPORT Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, CHARLES SCHROEDER. 

